About

Known credits:
61
Birthday:
1929-11-09
Place of birth:
N/A
Website:
N/A

Severn Darden

Overview

Severn Teakle Darden Jr. (November 9, 1929 – May 27, 1995) was an American comedian and actor, and a founding member of The Second City Chicago-based comedy troupe as well as its predecessor, the Compass Players. He is known from his film appearances for playing the human leader Kolp in the fourth and fifth Planet of the Apes films. His live comedy improv skit under the character of "Walther von der Vogelweide" was influential with two generations of comic performers.

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, he attended the University of Chicago, where he was a "campus legend" according to poet Paul Carroll. Darden’s offbeat and intellectual sense of humor was a major element in the style of The Second City at that time, and is evident throughout his work. Carroll described him as a combination of surrealistic New Orleans and tough, caustic "Chicago Style" comedy. An example of his offbeat humor is the way he squeezed the phrase "Know thyself" into the seven-character limitation of a New Mexico license plate: NOYOSEF.

Darden was a core comedian in Paul Sills' Compass Players, the first improvisation theater in the US; it performed around the Chicago area during the mid-1950s. Sills went on to found The Second City in 1959 and brought in many of the comedians from Compass Players, including Darden.

Known for

Acting
1988 The Telephone Actor 58
Average
1987 Take Five Actor N/A
N/A
1986 Back to School Actor Dr. Barazini 60
Fair
1985 Real Genius Actor Dr. Meredith 62
Fair
1985 Half Nelson Actor Morgue Attendant N/A
N/A
1983 Quarterback Princess Actor Mr. Hobart 59
Average
1982 Rooster Actor Conway 58
Average
1981 Saturday the 14th Actor Van Helsing 57
Average
1981 Evita Peron Actor Alfredo Suero N/A
N/A
1980 A Cry for Love Actor Paul N/A
N/A
1980 In God We Tru$t Actor Priest 59
Average
1980 Hopscotch Actor Maddox 61
Fair
1980 Why Would I Lie? Actor Dr. Barbour 59
Average
1980 A Small Circle of Friends Actor Art Professor 59
Average
1980 Beyond Westworld Actor Foley 68
Fair
1979 Orphan Train Actor Mr. Barrington 59
Average
1979 Love for Rent Actor Fred Hallem 59
Average
1979 Once Upon a Midnight Scary Actor Jonathan Barnavelt 59
Average
1979 Rendezvous Hotel Actor Albert Church N/A
N/A
1979 Wanda Nevada Actor Merlin Bitterstix 58
Average
1978 Outside Chance Actor Sheriff Dempsey 58
Average
1977 Never Con a Killer Actor Cap N/A
N/A
1976 Victory at Entebbe Actor Moshe Meyer 58
Average
1976 The Disappearance of Aimee Actor S.I. Gilbert 59
Average
1976 Mother, Jugs & Speed Actor Moran 58
Average
1976 Jackson County Jail Actor Sheriff Dempsey 58
Average
1975 I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now? Actor Mr. Fletch / Dr. DeHart 58
Average
1974 The Legend of Hillbilly John Actor Mr. Marduke 59
Average
1974 Skyway to Death Actor Steve Kramer 58
Average
1973 The Day of the Dolphin Actor Schwinn 58
Average
1973 Battle for the Planet of the Apes Actor Kolp 57
Average
1973 The Man Who Died Twice Actor Harry N/A
N/A
1972 Dirty Little Billy Actor Big Jim McDaniel 58
Average
1972 Play It as It Lays Actor Hypnotist 59
Average
1972 Playmates Actor Roger, Man in Gallery N/A
N/A
1972 Conquest of the Planet of the Apes Actor Kolp 60
Fair
1972 The War Between Men and Women Actor Dr. Harris 59
Average
1972 Cisco Pike Actor Lawyer 58
Average
1971 The Last Movie Actor Mayor 58
Average
1971 Werewolves on Wheels Actor One 58
Average
1971 The Hired Hand Actor McVey 59
Average
1971 Vanishing Point Actor J. Hovah 65
Fair
1970 Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You Actor Dr. Fahrquardt 58
Average
1970 The Movie Murderer Actor Jimmy Apache 59
Average
1969 They Shoot Horses, Don't They? Actor Cecil 65
Fair
1969 Fearless Frank Actor The Good Doctor / Claude 58
Average
1969 To See or Not to See Actor 58
Average
1969 Justine Actor Bathazar 58
Average
1969 The Mad Room Actor Nate 58
Average
1969 Model Shop Actor Camera Shop Owner 59
Average
1968 The Virgin President Actor U.S. President / Fillmard Millmore 58
Average
1968 P.J. Actor Shelton Quell 58
Average
1967 The President's Analyst Actor Kropotkin 58
Average
1967 Luv Actor Vandergist 58
Average
1966 Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round Actor Miles Fisher 58
Average
1965 The Double-Barrelled Detective Story Actor H.S. Stevens N/A
N/A
1965 Goldstein Actor Doctor 58
Average

Writing
1969 The Mama Cass Television Program Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1968 The Virgin President Writing Writer 58
Average

Production
1968 The Virgin President Production Producer 58
Average

Sound
1971 The Last Movie Sound Original Music Composer 58
Average